Ziplock for pouches and bags

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a closure ( 3 ) that comprises two interacting pairs of locking ribs ( 23, 33 ) that function in pairs. Said locking ribs ( 23, 33 ) are formed integrally with connecting strips ( 17, 21 ) in which guide ribs ( 27, 37 ) are configured which engage in a common glider ( 31 ). The closure ( 3 ) is opened by conical grooves ( 29, 39 ) inside the glider ( 31 ) which modify the distance between the two guide ribs ( 27, 37 ) by pushing apart and separating or reuniting and joining them.

The invention pertains to a closure for pouches and bags according tothe preamble of Claim 1.

Pouches and bags that need to be reclosed after they were initiallyopened frequently comprise ziplock closures or profiled closures withtwo cooperating profile strips. Such profiled closures can be connectedto one another by pressing together the strips. Alternatively, a slideris attached onto the closure and encompasses the profile strips. Theprofile strips can be pulled apart or pushed together, i.e., opened orclosed, by displacing the slider along the strips. Since the sliderencompasses the two profile strips in order to press together or pullapart the strips, it is not possible to arrange carrying straps abovethe closure on pouches and bags of this type. If carrying straps areside-connected to the pouch or bag walls, the costs are increased to adegree that is unjustifiable for disposable articles of this type. Inaddition, the carrying straps interfere with emptying the pouch or bag.

The invention is based on the objective of developing a closure withinterlocking profile strips and with a slider for opening and forclosing the profile strips, wherein said closure can be arranged onpouches and bags that can be provided with a carrying handle above theclosure.

This objective is attained with a closure with the characteristics ofClaim 1. Other advantageous configurations of the closure are defined inthe dependent claims.

According to the invention, the closure comprises a slider that isarranged to the side of the profile strips in the plane of the bag wall.Consequently, it is possible to attach at least one handle on one of thetwo profile strips that can optimally absorb the load of the bagcontents. According to the invention, the bag walls are coupled orconnected to the profile strips in such a way that the internal pressureof the bag contents cannot separate the interlocked profile strips. Thisis achieved due to the fact that the load of the bag contents do notsubject the closure to any shearing forces, but only tensile forces. Theload is also uniformly distributed over both profile strips whencarrying the bag or pouch. This prevents the bag from being openedunintentionally.

The invention is described in greater detail below with reference to twoembodiments that are illustrated in the figures. The figures show:

FIG. 1, a side view of a pouch or bag with attached closure and slider;

FIG. 2, an enlarged cross section through the closure;

FIG. 3, a view of a partially opened pouch;

FIG. 4, a side view of a pouch or bag with another configuration of theclosure;

FIG. 5, a pouch or bag with the closure according to FIG. 4 and with ahandle opening;

FIG. 6, a perspective representation of another configuration of theslider with a closing aid and an opening aid, and

FIG. 7, an enlarged cross section through another configuration of theclosure.

FIG. 1 shows schematically a pouch or bag 1 with a closure 3 attached toit. The size relations between the bag 1 and the closure 3 are notillustrated true-to-scale; the closure 3 is shown much larger than isactually the case. The bag 1 comprises two side walls 5 and 7, the freeupper edges 9 and 11 of which are connected along the opening withconnecting strips 13, 15 of the closure 3. The connection between thebag 1 and the closure 3 can be produced by gluing and sewing, gluing,sealing, welding and/or sewing. The connecting strips 13, 15 of theclosure 3 can be attached to the outside or the inside of the bag sidewalls 5, 7.

A first embodiment of the closure 3 is described in greater detail belowwith reference to the enlarged representation according to FIG. 2. Theconnecting strip 15 on the first profile strip 17 is connected by a web19 to two locking ribs 23 of hook-shaped cross section that engage withthe second profile strip 21. The locking ribs 23 form pad of the baselimb 25 of the first profile strip 17. As shown in FIG. 2, each lockingrib 23 comprises a hook 24 and a flange. The hooks 24 on the lockingribs 23 are directed upward. An undercut guide rib 27 is arranged on therear side of the base limb 25, i.e., opposite the ribs 23. This guiderib 27 extends parallel to the locking ribs 23. The guide rib 27 lies ina groove 29 in a slider 31, wherein the geometry of the groovecorresponds to that of the guide rib 27. A carrying strip 16 that isprovided with a handle opening 20 can be integrally formed onto the web19 in an extension of the connecting strip 15.

The second profile strip 21 also comprises two locking ribs 33, thehooks 36 of which are directed downward and engage behind the lockingribs 23 of the first profile strip 17 from the top. The locking ribs 33are also arranged on a base limb 35, on the bottom of which theconnecting strip 13 is arranged. As is also the case with the firstprofile strip 17, a guide rib 37 is provided on the base limb 35. InFIG. 2, this guide rib is situated below the guide rib 27 on the firstprofile strip 17, and extends parallel to it. It also lies within asecond guide groove 39 in the slider 31. The two guide ribs 27 and 37can be arranged directly beneath one another as shown in FIG. 2;however, they can also be horizontally offset if the lower section 34 ofthe base limb 35 has a shorter horizontal dimension than that shown inFIG. 2.

FIG. 2 also shows that the first profile strip 17 completely encompassesthe second profile strip 21 at least in the upper section. In otherwords, the second profile strip 21 lies with its two locking ribs 33within the first profile strip 17.

The locking ribs 23 of the first profile strip 17 and the locking ribs33 of the second profile strip 21 respectively extend parallel to oneanother in pairs, and are respectively spaced apart from one another bythe same distance.

By contrast, the two grooves 29 and 39 in the slider 31 run at an acuteangle to one another, wherein the distance between the two grooves 29and 39 on the end, i.e., the front end in FIG. 2, corresponds to thedistance shown between the two guide ribs 27 and 37. The distancebetween the two grooves 29 and 39 is greater on the opposite side of theslider 31. Because of this, the locking ribs 23 and 33 that areinterconnected at the front of the slider in FIG. 2 are pulled apart ordisengaged behind the slider 31 so that the interior of the pouch or bag1 becomes accessible.

This means that the two profile strips 17, 21 are pulled apart andmutually disengaged by increasing the distance between the two guide ribpairs 27 and 37. This increase in distance simultaneously pivots theclaw-shaped locking ribs 23 and 33 in the direction of the arrows P andS. Due to the spreading of the interconnected pairs of ribs 23, 33, thetwo contact surfaces 41 and 43 on the locking ribs 23 and 33 that wereinitially flat alongside one another move apart and are mutuallydisengaged. Before they slide apart, the two contact surfaces 41 and 43assume an inclined position that promotes their sliding apart andprevents damage to the locking ribs 23 and 33 during this process. Thesliding apart of the contact surfaces is additionally simplified by thecylindrical peripheral surfaces 45 and 47 of the locking ribs 23 and 33.At the same time, the cylindrical design of the surfaces 45, 47 promotesinterlocking of the two profile strips 17 and 21 when they are united toclose off the bag opening. By contrast to the elastic locking ribs 23and 33, the guide ribs 27 and 37 that engage into the slider 31 are maderigid at least to the degree that they cannot be disengaged from thegrooves 29 and 39 in the slider 31 under a load. This means that a veryrigid connection is produced between the two profile strips 17 and 21and the slider 31, and that an elastic connection is produced betweenthe two profile strips 17 and 21.

However, the elastic connection between the two profile strips 17 and 21can be disengaged only if they are correspondingly spread apart by theslider 31. The connection cannot be disengaged by the pressure of thecontents of the pouch or bag 1 because the interlocking connectionbetween the locking ribs 23 and 33 is additionally reinforced if theconnecting strips 13, 15 are spread apart in the direction of the twoarrows X. This also occurs when the pouch or bag 1 is lifted by thecarrying strip 16 because this causes a force to be exerted in thedirection of the arrow Y. If an additional carrying strip 18 is arrangedon the first profile strip 17 in an extension of the base limb 25 andprovided with a handle opening 20, the interlocking connection betweenthe two locking rib pairs 23 and 33 is also additionally reinforced.

FIG. 3 shows the pouch 1 in the partially opened state. The slider 31 isdisplaced approximately to its left end position and has pulled apartthe guide ribs 27, 37 by means of the acutely angled grooves 29 and 39such that an opening 48 is formed. The opening 48 can be reclosed bydisplacing the slider 31 toward the right. This displacement toward theright reunites the two guide ribs 27 and 37 such that the locking ribs23 and 33 are interlocked.

In another configuration of the invention (FIGS. 4/5), the closure 3 isturned by 90° and the two base limbs 25, 35 extend horizontally, i.e.,perpendicular to the bag side walls 5, 7. The hooks and the locking ribsare realized and function in the same fashion as those described abovewith reference to FIGS. 1-3. The guide ribs 27, 37 in this case also liein a plane that extends parallel to the bag side wall 5, wherein theguide ribs are also guided in identically designed guide grooves 29, 39in the slider 31. The handle opening 20 in the carrying strip 16 isrealized analogously to the first embodiment. The carrying strip 16 isalso connected to the connecting strip 15 and the profile strip 17 (FIG.5) in essentially the same plane. As an alternative to the handleopening 20 used in FIGS. 1-3 and 5, a handle bow 20′ can be sewn and/orwelded to the profile strip 17 or the bag. The closure 3 shown in FIGS.4 and 5 is opened by displacing the slider 31. By contrast to the firstembodiment, the locking rib pairs 23, 33 are successively spread apartby the slider 31 and mutually disengaged.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 6, the slider 31 has a u-shapedcross section. The two limbs 51 are integrally formed onto the base 55of the slider 31, with the two converging guide grooves 29, 39 beingrecessed into the base 55 between the two limbs. A conically extendingrib 53 is formed on one of the two limbs 51. This rib can have the shapeof a cone section. The upper apex S of the rib 51 extends essentiallyparallel to the adjacent guide groove 39. A spreading or separatingfinger 57 is arranged on the end face of the base 55 such that itextends parallel to the two limbs 51.

The conical rib 51 presses the two locking rib pairs 23, 33 togetherwhen uniting the two closure halves (profile strips 17 and 21) bydisplacing the slider 31 in the direction of the arrow P; the spreadingfinger 57 presses the locking rib pairs apart when the slider 31 isdisplaced in the opposite direction.

In the configuration of the invention according to FIG. 7, the slider 31is turned by 90° relative to the side walls 5, 7. The guide grooves 29,39 now lie above the locking rib pairs 23, 33 rather than beside them.Consequently, the two guide ribs 27, 37 are also situated at the upperend and form the upper edge of the closed pouch 1. The function of thisclosure is identical to that of the other embodiments.

What is claimed is:
 1. A closure for pouches and bags, comprising twoprofile strips that can be interconnected and a slider that is engagedwith the two profile strips and serves to unite and separate the twoprofile strips, wherein: the first profile strip comprises a first baselimb, onto which two locking ribs are integrally formed, each lockingrib comprising a hook and a flange connecting the hook to the base limb,the hooks being directed from their respective flange in the samedirection, and a first connecting strip for connecting the first profilestrip to one wall of the pouch or bag is integrally formed onto the baselimb; the second profile strip comprises a second base limb onto whichtwo locking ribs with hooks and the second connecting strip areintegrally formed, the hooks being directed in the opposite direction asthe hooks on the first profile strip; and an undercut guide rib isrespectively provided on the first and on the second profile strips,wherein both guide ribs engage in correspondingly shaped guide groovesin the slider.
 2. The closure of claim 1, wherein the first profilestrip surrounds or encompasses the two locking ribs of the secondprofile strip.
 3. The closure of claim 1, wherein the locking ribs onthe first profile strip have upwardly directed hooks and the lockingribs on the second profile strip have downwardly directed hooks.
 4. Theclosure of claim 1, wherein the hooks of the locking ribs of the firstand second profile strips are aligned.
 5. The closure of claim 1,wherein the hooks of the locking ribs of the first and second profilestrips tightly contact one another in the interconnected state.
 6. Theclosure of claim 1, wherein the slider has a front end and a rear end,and the distance between the grooves provided in the slider for theguide ribs increases from a first end face on the front end toward asecond end face on the rear end.
 7. The closure of claim 1, furthercomprising a carrying strip with a handle opening integrally formed ontothe first profile strip.
 8. The closure of claim 1, further comprising ahandle bow integrally formed onto the first profile strip.
 9. Theclosure of claim 1, wherein when connected to a bag having side walls,the two base limbs of the profile strips are parallel to the bag sidewalls.
 10. The closure of claim 1, wherein the slider has an essentiallyu-shaped cross section with two limbs, the slider further comprising aconically extending rib integrally formed onto one of the two limbswherein the apex line of the conical rib essentially extends parallel tothe adjacent guide groove.
 11. The closure of claim 10, wherein theslider rib is in the form of a cone section.
 12. The closure of claim10, further comprising a spreading finger integrally formed onto thebase of the slider, wherein said spreading finger extends parallel tothe limbs and lies between the latter.
 13. A closure for couches andbaas comprising two profile strips that can be interconnected and aslider that is engaged with the two profile strips and serves to uniteand separate the two profile strips, wherein: the first profile stripcomprises a first base limb, onto which two locking ribs with hooks areintegrally formed, and a first connecting strip for connecting the firstprofile strip to one wall of the pouch or baa is integrally formed ontothe base limb; the second profile strip comprises a second base limbonto which two locking ribs with hooks and the second connecting stripare integrally formed; and an undercut guide rib is respectivelyprovided on the first and on the second profile strips, wherein bothguide ribs engage in correspondingly shaped guide grooves in the slider;wherein the first profile strip surrounds or encompasses the two lockingribs of the second profile strip.
 14. The closure of claim 13, whereinthe slider has an essentially u-shaped cross section with two limbs, theslider further comprising a conically extending rib integrally formedonto one of the two limbs wherein the apex line of the conical ribessentially extends parallel to the adjacent guide groove.
 15. Theclosure of claim 14, wherein the rib is in the form of a cone section.16. The closure of claim 15, further comprising a spreading fingerintegrally formed onto the base of the slider, wherein said spreadingfinger extends parallel to the limbs and lies between the latter.